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Terror and No Peace, No War Romanticism-Dogma for Development in Horn of Africa

Dr. Suresh Kumar

Eritrea Profile, Vol. 15 No: 94, 28 January 2009

Introduction

Weapon never creates history and leave agonized memories on the land. The Prime Minister Meles Zenawi recently remarked that no peace, no war situation suits to Ethiopia development is a hangover of Bush doctrine. The people’s power decides their political leader in the world and rejects carrot to the stick formula. The last Presidential election of USA is a clear witness of people power that kicked out terror and propagates peace in the country and world. If we look back to history of independent movement under the slogan of Non-Violence in Afro-Asia countries led to freedom and establishment of sovereign states. The history of World War-I and II reminds us strengthening peace and solidarity in their respective region is the only step towards people’s development. The doctrine of no peace, no war ever works in the history of mankind.

The last decade witnesses the people’s suffering of war mentality in the world. The hyped war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia supports the culture of war mentality and forced the people to accept their verdict.

Ø Is it a way to control the world community on the name of terrorism?Ø Does no peace, no war shows any sign of socio-economic development in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, etc.?Ø What is the final outcome of any of three wars- is the problem of terrorism finished?

Generally speaking, ‘Terrorism in general is an attempt and designed to have psychological effects that reach far beyond its impact on the immediate victims or object of an attack. Terrorism is an attempt involving the acquisition and use of power for the purpose of forcing others to submit, or agree, to their demands’. Can any body differentiate this terrorism and the terror created in these three wars? The people’s verdict during the last election of USA is the answer to this terror. The Bush doctrine created this terrorism with the different labels and Meles Zenawi in Horn of Africa implemented it. As a result, Ethiopia government received billions of dollars and the Ethiopian people are dying of hunger as part of the socio-economic development. This doctrine interlinks social structure to protect their activities on the name of ethnicity, democracy, and justice in Defense of Terrorism (continuing no peace, no war romanticism) that needs further elaboration.

If civilization and barbarism are the near neighbors as well as sworn antagonists, it is partly because the evolution of humanity brings with it more sophisticated techniques of savagery (Terry: 11). “This means that the drive to regulate Nature is madly in excess of necessity. There is something pathological about this rage for order: it contains a ferocious inner compulsion which is the very opposite of freedom. Fundamentalism is one symptom of this disease. In the name of a desire for absolute security, cities are shattered, blameless civilians burnt and dismembered and whole generations turned rancorous and resentful” (Terry: 16). In the domain of ideas, this deathly perfected-ness such as Somalia people’s genocide, Iraqi’s killings on the name of absolute security and cruelty against Afghanis are the part of fundamentalist dogma.

Here, the Algiers Agreement 2002 under arbitration is a result of codified international law and not abiding it shows a tilt towards no peace, no war romanticism. Similarly, law does not permit to lay waste a town (e.g. Palestine) because its insurgents have murdered someone’s soldiers, or bomb a packed marketplace because a child has been slaughtered, or human beings tragically in a terrorist bombing or concentration camp (Guatanamo Bay). This is an impoverished no peace, no war business of animal pleasure only, which never shows any sign of justice. It enhances their cruel justice on the one hand and economic flourishing (though loot) on the other hand. Those who fail to recognize this truth leads to self-destruction (Such as Bush policy).

No Peace, No War Formula and Horn

This formula believes in (War + Peace)2 = War2 + Peace2 + 2War Peace that suits to hide system failure delivery regarding people development in Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti. It refers to

§ War technology in partnership with Peace through Terror vigorously working in the Horn acting as a whole square.§ It is equal to the War2 means boosting the weapon industries on the cost of people development.§ Peace2 a label or brand name appropriately is using in Horn of Africa. All kinds of media, different web sites and information technology are uses in promoting their formula of no war & no peace.§ The 2 War Peace promotes this myth and got approval from Bush and US Armaments in the Horn (being Djibouti as base).

It signifies that more the (War + Peace)2 work as no peace, no war romanticism, enhancing the armament market as a result equalizes (=) War2 + Peace2 + 2War Peace.

The above mentioned formula applies to the situation in Somalia. The re-liberation Front is fighting against Ethiopian invasion and it is propagated as terrorism. But the people of Somalia are doing what US President Kennedy said in history. It is not the first time that Somali’s are fighting against Ethiopian TPLF army; infect this is fourth futile exercise of Ethiopian army to vanish Somalia from Africa map. You observe and analyze yourself that killing innocent Somalia people is an act of terror or incorporation of myth democracy adopting no peace, no war environment in Horn of Africa. Bush gifted billion dollars booty to Ethiopia’s No Peace, No War romance on the graveyard of thousands of Ethiopian community.

Bush policy propagated continuously about Eritrea as terrorist sponsored state. But Article 13 regarding Foreign Policy says, “The foreign policy of Eritrea is based on respect for state sovereignty and independence and on promoting the interest of regional and international peace, cooperation, stability and development (The Constitution: 11). Along with it, the concept of non-alignment is clearly mentioned as “Foreign policy is that of peace and non-alignment (A Charter). Further the constitution mentions, “For Eritrea to become a respected member of the international community, by coexisting in harmony and cooperation with its neighbors; and by contributing to all the extent of its capability, to regional and global peace, security and development” (The Constitution: 11).

Eritrea respects this Article 13 and practicing it honestly as part of foreign policy. The four million population of Eritrea is practicing non-alignment and promoting regional peace through actively engaging in regional efforts to promote peace among neighboring countries.

Colin Powell, Secretary of State visited Darfur in June 2004, When Blackwater (private army organization) developed a detailed proposal deploying in this area. In late 2006, Bush eased sanction on Christian southern Sudan, paving the way for Blackwater to train the region's forces. The Bush problem was that US declared Sudan as terrorist sponsor and US corporations are prohibited from investing in Sudan. Hence, the administration had to divide Sudan in terms of south and north so that the Balckwater get access of exploitation of the natural resources of the south.

While the Bush administration was pursuing divisive manipulation in the Sudan the government of Eritrea was engaged in different and opposite process to bring the different factions of Sudan too a roundtable for reconciliation and unity under the umbrella of one nation. ThePeace agreement signed between the Eastern Sudan and the Governemtn of national Unity of Sudan on 14th October 2006 is the Eritrean brotherhood initiative to carry forward the torch of peace and Development in Africa. It was the ‘Beginning of Peace March’ and enlightens bright future for the people of Africa in general and Horn of Africa in particular. Along with it, all Nine Darfur groups, Sudan government official and People’s Front for Democracy & Justice (PFDJ) discussed issues in length for Peaceful Settlement of Disputes. This process is on to get the issue settles down amicably. Eritrea, Libya and Chad are involved in it for peaceful solution. Eritrea provides its Good Offices to create a viable environment for mutual discussion as part of its foreign policy. As a result, Bush or its supporters (Meles) failed either to deploy armed forces arbitrarily to control the Darfur region and its valuable resources or made their entry as like Iraq and Afghanistan.

The same argument mentions under Article 13 refers to deal with the Somalia issue that leads to “respect for state sovereignty and independence and on promoting the interest of regional and international peace, cooperation, stability and development”. Moreover, indigenous problems resolve only by indigenous people of Africa but this argument goes against the no peace, no war interests.

There is something hidden in the Eritrean society that creates another tension in no peace, no war politics. The open secret of Eritrean society is its unique secularism. Historically, British colonialism tried to divide Christian and Muslim communities on the name of Christian communities and Muslim communities but failed to divide Eritrea in the late forties. Even, the country faced communal riots but the history of Eritrean nationalism strengthened its roots and the British communal politics failed to brew any seeds of divide and rule here. This secular society is intact even today in Eritrea may observe in this way such as:

1. You need to get up early in the morning at 4:50 AM in Asmara. It’s little painful getting up early but no-----no. No need to get out of bed. The fact comes to you. Try to concentrate on Church bells and after few minute hear “Allah o Akbar.” Now, the bell and Allah music will mix and you can realize a real secularism.2. One may experience another wonder of Crime Free State despite facing no peace, no war situation.3. People stands in queue in front of milk-booth, Himberti vegetable shops and Eritrea Telephone Exchange office for bill payment, getting into public buses, lines to get entry into banks, House Rent Administration court, standing inside the over-crowded buses and no women eve-teasing, etc. are the few examples of real peace.

This is the manifestation that the war mentality and no peace, no war romanticism could not affect the peace of the indigenous people that are accustomed toliving in harmony for the large part of their history. . The position of USA is in pity in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite that, the Mumbai terrorist attack gave opportunity to war mongers (Bush office) and tried to persuade India for attack on the name of terror. Similarly, the issue of Ethiopian military camp on Mount Musa-Ali peaked on a border junction of the three countries (Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia) is trying to create myth of no peace, no war romanticism. Eritrea is exercising self-control and patience without being disturbed by futile rumors of this type with Djibouti. Eritrea is exerting maximum efforts to work for a favorable ground work as in the cases of Somalia issue, Ethiopia crisis and the Djibouti. This is an ultimate answer of the people of Horn to the terror and no peace, no war believers.

References

A Charter for Eritrea Adopted by the Third Congress of EPLF, Nacfa, February 1994.

Terry Eagleton, Holy Terror, Oxford University Press, 2005.

The Constitution of Eritrea, Ratified by the Constituent Assembly, May 23, 1997.